Topic: Is bitcoin closest to libertarianism? and if it succeeds would it be proof of - page 2. (Read 1417 times)

Bitcoin is a tool. Libertarianism is a general idea that more freedom would be better. Voluntaryism is the idea that violence is unacceptable, and all interactions should be voluntary. Anarchism is the idea that no person has the right to rule other people.

Can you have violence, rulers, stupid laws and Bitcoin, all at the same time? I would say, yes, absolutely. Bitcoin is an important step in reducing the power of the rulers, but it is not the final step.

I'd say BitcoinAshley is pretty much right, Bitcoin also appeals to Anarchism as well in a way I think but the thing about Bitcoin that doesn't make it Anarchist as it's still governed by Math as opposed to politicians which to me makes far more sense for something that is based on numbers to begin with.

I would say absolutely not, because Libertarianism applied to the state spectrum is "minarchy" i.e. small state, not big state or no state. Bitcoin has virtually no state oversight. It is a purely free market microcosm (that exists alongside the socialist markets of the world). Libertarianism is basically "I don't like the size of the state now, it has too much power and is doing too many bad things. We need to reduce its size." But you can keep reducing it and the inherent violence of the state means there will always be Libertarians who say "We need to make the state smaller." On the other hand we will always have socialists who say "We need to make the state bigger." 

If anything it adheres to principles of voluntarism. It is completely decentralized with no oversight (unless you consider the foundation's control over the main client a form of state oversight, but that could be argued forever.) This allows for voluntary association and no inherent use of violence in principle.

Relevant: http://www.freedomainradio.com/FreeBooks.aspx
Did we mention that Stefan accepts bitcoins? He knows what's up.
 
Now, all that being said, the concept of bitcoin is far more compatible with libertarianism than it is with ideologies that call for larger governments. And I believe that Libertarians generally call for no government oversight over the money supply, so I suppose in that respect it is compatible.

Its can't prove anything because bitcoin is a currency, not an ideology!

The problem for libertarianism as a way to run a country is that is removes the reason the vast amount of people have a job.

In a simple world of libertarian ideals, A sells to B. end of story.

In our realist world, with thousands of rules and regulation, A has to comply to rules set and enforced by C through L before he is allowed to sell to B who uses the services of M through to X to ensure that he is getting what he wanted. And we call this a free market!

So, in a true libertarian world, C through to X would have to sell their services to A and B. They would have to convince them both, without using the threat of a big fine or the loss of their liberty, that raising their prices to cover the cost of employing C to X was a price worth paying!

And that is my take on real life libertarianism in 3 sentences!

I can't see how the success of Bitcoin can prove anything other than libertarianism is often confused with Corporatism!

libertarian ideas of free market and such?